Auto safety switch



Aug. 15, 1950 J. D. wu D!-: 2,519,167

7 AUTO SAFETY SWITCH Filed July 9, 1948 1 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor John 0. W /'/de Aug 5, 1950 J. D. WILDE 2,519,167

AUTO SAFETY SWITCH Filed July 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3o 4o gwwmmmw I y/ n I WMiih /A g ////////////I/// WWW/M Fig. 5 W A /j@ 5 W/ /////7/ 50 58 5 I1" "I I /32 Inventor I John 0. Wilde 40 Fig. 6 1 W a Attorneys Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED :S TATES ()"F F'I CE 'AUTOSAFETY SWITCH "John D.'=Wilde, Los Angcles; Calif.

Application July-9, 1948,,Seriat No.v 3.7;919

(GLAND-b.1613) 3 Claims. 1 Fires'frequentl-y' start in motor vehiclesoathe like dueto' short circuiting of the electrical connections therein, frequently" when the owner 'is not near by= so thafi 'he' mayrear'lilydetect signs offire, and asa 'resuIt the motor v'ehi'cle itself as Well as-the' garagewherein' it is housed may burn. It is the' purpose of'the'instant invention to disconnect" the electric circuit sci-that accidental fire can-notoccur. Arid-as'anauxiliary advantageof the instan-t'de'vice; if connec-ted'inan inconspicuousplace iri themotor vehicle, it willassist in pre- -venti-ng automobile thefts. In attempting to steal the" car, the" thief, not'knoWingwher-the "discon- '-neeting =switch f is located or not being aware "orsuclr-a device; isnot-able to-startthe automo- '-bile,-*even -thoug h he rigs upwh-at is known as-"a hotshot" order toaccornplish his object.

'Ihe obje'ct of the inventionis toprovide a cutout switch particularly adapted" for use in cona cut--out-switch,- which, while-of the heavy construction necessary to carry the heavy current of the "battery in starting the vehicle motor, is 'of sim'plefOrm and susceptibleof inexpensiVe'manufactu-re.

With these objects 'inview, theinventi'onconsists in the construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but to which the embodiment of the invention is not limited. It is obvious that certain changes will occu to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the invention as secured in position in a motor vehicle;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the invention enclosed in a suitable housing;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the circuit breaking element, with the major portion of the top of the housing removed;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the invention and is taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse view of the invention 'opposedparallelsides 32 and 3 apertured axially to extend approximately from and is takerrsub'stantiall" on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 and '-Figure=*6 is a" transverse sectionalview and is takensubstantially on the line fi-'6 of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure I particularly, a motor "ve'hicle lil' is illustrated in fragmentary sectional "view anddisclosesa cowl l2, a fire wall i l with a suitable aperture i6 therethrough, and a dash IS. A battery 29 is connected by means of suitablewireor cable'2'2 to the cut-out or safety switch of the invention2 i; cable or wire 26 leading from the other side thereof to a starter switch '(not shown) -Referring toFigures 2 through 6, the cut-out switch consists of a rectangular backing plate'28 and acover plate 33, cover plate'iifl including Sides are thebottom thereof to a point midway toward cover plate 38- at36, and one side 34 includes a rectangular opening or doorway 353 to receive therethrough for pivotal or reciprocating action a leverWD-secu-red in housing 24 in a. manner soon-toappear. Lever contains a'boss 12 apertured at "M' to receive therethrough a stiff wiryorrod tiiwhich, inturn, is connected to a'piill knob-48- secure'don dash E3 of motor vehicle 16., Thus, when knob l lis pulled out, or pushed inwardly, wire is of sufaicient rigidity to *pivot'oroscillate lever iii in cut-out switch 24. Backing plate 28 and cover plate as well as "sides 32 and are made of any non-conductor 'material, such as plastics, or the like, to provide suitable insulation for the device.

pair of oppositely-disposed rectangular plates "5015f brassoncopperconstruction are placed be tween the extremities of backing plate 28 adjacent walls 32 and are centrally hushed or upstruck at 52 to receive the ends of cables 26 and 22, respectively. The outer extremities of each plate 59 are bent over to form a bearing member or sleeve 54. Thus, there are a total of four bearings 54 in the device. As is clearly illustrated in Figure 6, backing plate 23 is counterbored at 56 between struck section 52 and bearing sleeve 54 to receive therethrough securing bolt 58, bolt 58 being of such length to extend just below the upper surface of cover plate 39 through a suitable bore 68 therein. Washer 62 is provided and lock nut 64 is retained on bolt 58 to secure it in rigid position. It will be noted that in this manner a smooth surface is presented at all times, there being no projection of screw heads or the like. Detent or indented portion 66 is provided for member 52 to bite into the end of cables 22 and 26 for securing relation therein.

The inner end of lever 40 acts as a spacing block 68 and is axially bored at 10 the length thereof for receiving therethrough securing bolt 14. Bolt 14 is headed at 16 to seat against backing plate 28 and extend therethrough through suitable aperture 18 its threaded extremity thereof extending through threaded aperture as on cover plate 30 and countersunk at 82 to receive lock nut 84 therein. It will be noted that securing bolt 14 serves as the axis of handle or lever 40 as well as the means for securing cover plate 30 to backing plate 28.

Lever 40 is slotted at 86 and 88, as is clearly seen in Figure 3 to receive therethrough vertical pins 90 which, in turn, are integral with collars 92 preferably of brass. Collars 92 (Figure 4) are secured to brass tubing or conductor rod 94.v

Tubing 94 is adapted to reciprooatingly slide within bearing 54 aligned in plate 56.

One extremity of each rod 94, but in diagonal relation, is counterbored and threaded on the in terior thereof at 96, to receive therein the externally threaded leg 98 depending from hard fiber head I00. Fiber head or guide plug we is of a diameter equal to the outer diameter of tubing 94, although of solid construction and is of non-conductive material.

If desired, a shim or conductor plate is secured between terminal plate 59 and the non-conducting backing plate 28.

In operation, the device is secured in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, and handle 43 is pulled outwardly. This causes lever 40 to pivot in the position illustrated in Figure 3, thereby causing tubing 94 to pull in opposite directions by means of engagement of pin 90 in slots 86 and 88, until fiber head I is in the position illustrated in Figure 4. The electric circuit is now broken and there is no danger of accidental short circuiting. When knob 48 is again pushed forward, lever All assumes the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 3, thereby moving fiber head W9 through the outer extremities of bearings 54 and permitting the brass portion 94 to engage bearings 54 and close the electric circuit. The motor vehicle is now ready to be operated.

From the above description, it is readily ap-- parent that the various objects of the invention have been achieved.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as exp1ained hereinafter.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A safety switch comprising a casing having an end wall including an elongated slot, a lever extending through said slot and pivoted intermediate its ends in said casing for vertical movement, a pair of opposed terminals in said casing, each of said terminals including inner and outer sleeves in alignment with corresponding sleeves of the other terminal, conductive wires connected to a source of electric current and removably secured in said inner sleeves, conductive rods reciprocatingly received in said outer sleeves, means operatively connecting said rods to said lever, a first non-conductive head carried at one end of one of said rods and of equal diameter therewith, and a second non-conductive head carried at the non-corresponding end of the other of said rods and of equal diameter therewith.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means includes slots in said lever at both sides of the pivot point thereof and pins carried by said rods and extending through said slots.

3. A safety switch comprising a casing having an end wall including an elongated slot, a lever extending through said slot and pivoted intermediate its ends in said casing for vertical movement, a pair of opposed terminals in said casing, each of said terminals including an inner sleeve and a pair of outer sleeves, the sleeves of one of said terminals being in horizontal alignment with the corresponding sleeves of the other of said terminals, conductive wires connected to a source of electric current and removably secured in said inner sleeves, a first conductive rod reciprocatingly received in one pair of said aligned outer sleeves, a second conductive rod reciprocatingly received in the other pair of said aligned outer sleeves, means operatively connecting said rods to said lever, a first non-conductive head carried at one end of said first rod and of equal diameter therewith, and a second non-conductive head carried at the non-corresponding end of said second rod and of equal diameter therewith.

JOHN D. WILDE.

invention what is REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 964,536 McLewee July 19, 1910 992,478 Birnn May 16, 1911 1,623,937 Gizewski Apr. 5, 1927 

